There is evidence too of healing indicating that the victim survived for a considerable time after the operation. Scholars have recorded striking similarities in trepanation techniques across the continents, and therefore considered it as important evidence for prehistoric movements of people and for transfer of surgical skills from one society to another.

Ancient Indian Science – Brain Surgery Evidence Pictures

In Some parts of the world, This procedure has also been associated with religious rituals and “to ward off evil spirits”. However, in the case of the skull that was found in Harappa, The Trepanation ( The process of cutting a hole in the skull) was intended as therapeutic as there is a clear indication of cranial trauma in the form of a visible linear depression, probably resulting from a severe blow, says the study. There is evidence too of healing indicating that the victim survived for a considerable time after the operation. Scholars have recorded striking similarities in trepanation techniques across the continents, and therefore considered it as important evidence for prehistoric movements of people and for transfer of surgical skills from one society to another.

There is another reference to Brain surgery in 11th century in a text Bhoja Prabandham, describing life of Raja Bhoja. Raja Bhoja was a king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from the early 11th century to 1055 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoj of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty.

Early in his career, just before he came to power, Bhoja was afflicted by a tumor in his brain which used to cause him intense headaches. Two Brahmin brothers from the school of Ujjain, who were pre-eminent surgeons of the era, performed a surgery on his brain and relieved him of his tumor. The description of the surgery as mentioned in the reference suggests that they artificially induced a coma with a special preparation known as the sammohini and then opened his skull to remove the tumor. He was then brought back to consciousness with another drug.

Bhoja survived this surgery remarkably well and had an illustrious reign both as a military commander and encyclopaedic scholar.